Asiago Crisped Spinach and Raspberry Salad
Anything tastes better when wrapped in the arms of an Asiago crisp, not the least of which is this simple spinach and raspberry salad.
Elegance has a new name…and it’s called Asiago crisps.
Since first eating these at a dinner party with my husband’s company and then replicating them at home, I’ve come to realize anything tastes better when wrapped in the arms of an Asiago crisp, not the least of which is a simple spinach and raspberry salad.
The great thing is – making the Asiago crisps couldn’t be easier (see pictures below the recipe)!
Shredded Asiago (or Parmesan might be a great substitute) is baked and molded and becomes the perfect vehicle for a simple but delicious spinach salad.
Obviously, I reserve salads such as this for more gourmet occasions than feeding my four lovable rugrats weeknight dinners, but when the occasion calls, you now know what you can do to step that salad course up a notch.
As a sidenote, although this complete salad package would be lost on my kiddos, they absolutely devoured the crispy Asiago pieces that were leftover (read: the ones I broke to smithereens on accident). We crunched them up over some buttered noodles for dinner one night and the kids were in heaven. How’s that for gourmet?
P.S. I’ve updated two favorite recipes from the archives with new pictures and updated variations. Chipotle Chicken Tacos and Creamy Orzo with Chicken and Red Peppers.
Asiago Crisped Spinach and Raspberry Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 (9-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
- 1 pint fresh raspberries
- Fresh parmesan for shaving
- Raspberry vinaigrette, for serving
For the Asiago rounds:
- 2 cups shredded asiago cheese
Instructions
- For the Asiago rounds, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Take 1/2 cup of shredded Asiago cheese and place it in a long strip, about 2-inches wide by 12-inches long, on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner. I did two strips on each baking sheet.
- Bake the cheese for 9-11 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly. The Asiago cheese has a tendency to splatter and smoke a little, so don’t be alarmed if that happens.
- Immediately after removing the rimmed baking sheet from the oven, gently lift up the cheese strip and form it into a circle for the salad. Let the circle cool completely on the baking sheet or carefully transfer to a wire rack. The cheese cools very quickly so you’ll need to work fast to bend the hot cheese into circles before it cools too much. The Asiago crisps can be made a day in advance, if kept well covered (especially in a humid climate). Take care to move them around gently as they are fragile.
- When ready to serve, gently fill the Asiago cheese round with fresh spinach leaves. Sprinkle with raspberries. Using a vegetable peeler, shave pieces from the block of Parmesan and add those to the salad. Serve with raspberry vinaigrette.
Notes
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Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
I shredded the asiago myself and when I bake the strips, they come out extremely oily. Extreme may be an understatement. Is the cheese too moist and fresh? Are they not browning fast enough? Is there a way to remove moisture from the cheese?
Hi Zach – you could try this with Parmesan cheese which is less oily than Asiago. Otherwise, maybe try increasing the temperature just a bit to cook faster. I haven’t had the overly oily problem but I also haven’t made these in a while and only ever used one brand of Asiago (a wedge from Sam’s Club).
Can’t wait to try, will let you know how they turn out!
Yum. I wonder if my guests will think I am too weird if I serve this instead of our usual fruit with yogurt and granola course? A little poppy seed dressing and a few blueberries and surely it is a breakfast course for a hot morning.
I tried these today, and I am wondering if I just didn’t let them bake long enough. When I tried to lift them, they wouldn’t hold up and flopped back on the pan. I ended up using cereal bowls to mold them, even though that makes the circles wrinkle at the bottom. Is the baking time my problem?
Hi Lindsey – yes, it sounds like you might need to add more baking time. I had to play around with the baking time and my oven so it might be the same for you, too. They should be golden and crispy when they come out of the oven with just enough “give” to bend them into shape before they cool.
Too pretty to eat!
What a beautiful presentation, Melanie! I have made parmesan crisps before to serve with salad…they are so good they almost never make it to the salad! The asiago cheese sounds delicious!
Oh- and I love that you call your boys “kidlets”…too cute! 😉
I love these! The way you have it pictured, I thought it looked like a heart shape. Circle or heart, they are a fun new way to serve up a salad. Thanks for your awesome blog.
I am amazed at your skills! Now I just have to get one of those non-stick thingys.
Do you think that this would work with a 5 cheese italian mix? It has parmesan,mozzarella, asiago, provolone and romano.
Tiffany – yes, it would probably work. The mozzarella and provolone cheeses might not crisp up quite as much, though. You’d have to test it out and see if you could bake it long enough to get it to hold together in a circle.
Looks so fancy but it’s so simple, love it!
I have made these parmesan bowls before and used my large muffin tin to shape the bowls. I love how fancy these little bowls look!
Way fun! I’m going to have to try this.
What a brilliant and original idea! Yum!
Wow ! This really will dress up a salad, and looks super easy too. Thanks for posting this Mel.